Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

Look at syslog (/var/adm/syslog/syslog.log) at the end to see if there are kernel messages with the same timestamp. Also look at the console (not a telnet login, the 'real' console). Some possibilities:

1. Maximum number of processes for a single user ID has been exceeded (hint: "ps -f -u informix | wc -l" or whatever user ontape is running under). Kernel parameter maxuproc limits this value to prevent runaways on test servers, bump up if needed)

2. Maximum memory needed by a process. Kernel parameter maxdsiz is usually way too low (about 64megs) and some processes may need hundreds of megs.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

You need to tune your kernel on the server that you are restoring onto, to be the same as the one which the backup was taken.

As Bill said, this is caused either by running out of NPROC, MAXUPRC, MAXFILES or NFILE on the system.sar -v 1 1 will give you a quick indication on files in the system.

Informix requires higher than default values for shared memory, semaphore, processes and file parameters in the kernel, as is documented in the $INFORMIXDIR/release/en_us/0333/ ...machine_notes....txt file

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

If you could provide the following it would help :

Informix VersionHP-UX VersionDetails from the file mentioned by MSGPATH in the $ONCONFIGDoes the restore start at all (i.e. produce a list of dbspaces, chunks and backup information)Where was the backup from (i.e. the machine you are restoring to or another)?Is the Informix version the same for the backup as for the restore?Can you run oncheck -pr before the restore?

The Restore does start, and I get the list of dbspaces and chunks, I'm asked if I want to continue restore? and then if I want to backup the logs?The restore then bails.

Interestingly, if I then try top restart the restore straight away, it bails out straight away. I've just done an ipcs -m, and then an ipcrm -m on all informix instances, and the restore appears to be doing something now. I'll have to wait and see how it goes.

The backup was taken from another server than is running a different version of HP-UX and Informix.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

What version of Informix was the backup taken on?You can use different O/S versions, but Informix support has always told me the Informix version has to be the EXACT version for the restore as the backup.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

Robin,

First thing is to check the online.log. This should give you more information pertaining to the the error. If you find an error in the online.log then use 'finderr xxxx' to get more information from Informix.

Also check the following:1) 'sqlhosts' file in the etc directory to make sure you have the proper host name, the 'DBSERVERNAME and DBSERVERALIASES should match what you have in the 'etc/onconfig.xxx file.2) Check for any '.str' files in the /INFORMIXTMP directory, remove them.3)Check $INFORMIXDIR/release file for shared memory requirements.4) After you attempt to restore and you get an error, check ipcs. If there are any queues, memory, or shared memory owned by informix, clean them up with the ipcrm -q xxxxx, ipcrm -m xxxxx, or ipcrm -s xxxxx. You will not have enough memory to restart the restore unless you do this.5) Check the permissions and ownership on the files in the /dev/vginformix directory (assuming you use this directory to create the logical volumes for Informix). Permissions need to be 660, ownership informix:informix for all informix logical volume files created. Make sure user 'informix' has access to that directory and files.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

Robin,

In looking at your online.log I see the error 226- I did a finderr and got the following results:

finderr 226-226 Cannot create index for system catalog table-name.

The database server is trying to create one of the tables for thesystem catalog, probably as part of a CREATE DATABASE statement. Itcreated the table, but a problem with the host operating systemprevents it from making an index. Check the accompanying ISAM errorcode for more information, and look for operating-system errormessages. Insufficient disk space probably caused this error.

It looks like you don't have all of the chunks defined for your database as indicated by the 'Insufficient disk space probably caused this error.'

Make sure you have all of the following chunks defined:/dev/rootdbs/dev/tempdbs/dev/mvpdbs01/dev/mvpdbs02/dev/mvpdbs03/dev/mvpdbs04/dev/mvpdbs05/dev/mvpdbs06/dev/mvpdbs07/dev/mvpdbs08/dev/mvpdbs09/dev/mvpdbs10/dev/mvpdbs11/dev/mvpdbs12/dev/mvpdbs13/dev/mvpdbs14

with the correct permissions and ownership.

Can you attach a detailed listing of the /dev directory? I would recommend creating a separate directory for your Informix chunks as they need to have specific permissions and ownership.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

The support line might have steered you wrong a little.

I have done many Informix restores from HP-UX 10.20 to HP-UX 11.11 machines, the thing to remember is that the Informix engine must be the same.You can still accomplish what you were trying to do - once you get the database on the new machine, you can upgrade to the new Informix version.

Re: Informix ontape problems - "could not fork server connection"

Robin,

The Informix version must be the same as well Informix support pointed out. You might want to remember also that if you are running a 64 bit version of Informix, you must be running the 64-bit OS as well.

We all learn from these experiences, that's what makes this forum so great!

See these guys above? You won't be able to remove them with ipcrm, you had to get kmeminfo from HP (through our CSS account rep, which was the easiest way). Once you did that, you were able to find the processes attached to these by running the following: